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Rapid melt from Antarctica could help preserve crucial ocean current Fri, 14 Nov 2025 19:00:27 +0000 Greenland’s melt is expected to slow the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, but research suggests a collapse of the West Antarctic ice sheet could in some cases prevent it from shutting down

Cuts and scrapes may be slower to heal in redheads Fri, 14 Nov 2025 17:00:28 +0000 Mice with the same genetic variant that contributes towards red hair in people were slower to recover from wounds than their black-haired counterparts

Oldest ever RNA sample recovered from woolly mammoth Fri, 14 Nov 2025 16:00:15 +0000 RNA from an exceptionally well preserved woolly mammoth gives us a window on gene activity in an animal that died nearly 40,000 years ago

Mystery deepens as isolated galaxy forms stars with no obvious fuel Fri, 14 Nov 2025 15:42:21 +0000 A galaxy in a practically empty area of the universe seems to be impossibly forming stars, and new observations have only deepened the puzzle

The 19 best Christmas gifts for science lovers (and nerds) Fri, 14 Nov 2025 12:00:01 +0000 From microscopes to geodes, New Scientist staff share their top Christmas present ideas in a gift guide unlike any you’ve seen before

Mysterious holes in Andean mountain may be an Inca spreadsheet Mon, 10 Nov 2025 00:01:52 +0000 Thousands of holes arranged in a snake-like pattern on Monte Sierpe in Peru could have been a monumental accounting device for trade and tax

The forgotten women of quantum physics Fri, 14 Nov 2025 10:00:06 +0000 Physics has a reputation for being dominated by men, especially a century ago, as quantum physics was just being invented – but there have been so many women who helped shaped the field since its inception

New Scientist recommends this extreme birdwatching documentary Wed, 12 Nov 2025 18:00:00 +0000 The books, TV, games and more that New Scientist staff have enjoyed this week

Remarkable robot images provide a vision of the future Wed, 12 Nov 2025 17:26:18 +0000 These photographs of humanoid robots by Henrik Spohler are part of his project Tomorrow Is the Question

Smart new book takes an axe to the myth of human exceptionalism Wed, 12 Nov 2025 18:00:00 +0000 Christine Webb's provocative and moving book The Arrogant Ape explores our unjustifiable sense of superiority in the living world, laying out the evidence against it, says Elle Hunt

Is the future of education outside universities? Wed, 12 Nov 2025 18:00:00 +0000 New technologies and academic funding cuts are upending the ways we learn today. Newly enrolled student Annalee Newitz finds some silver linings

AI may blunt our thinking skills – here’s what you can do about it Mon, 10 Nov 2025 14:30:13 +0000 There is growing evidence that our reliance on generative AI tools is reducing our ability to think clearly and critically, but it doesn’t have to be that way

Ancient silver goblet preserves oldest known image of cosmic creation Thu, 13 Nov 2025 12:00:27 +0000 The images hammered into the sides of a goblet found in Palestine give us an idea of what people living more than 4000 years ago imagined the creation of the cosmos looked like

Analysing Hitler's DNA for a TV gimmick tells us nothing useful Thu, 13 Nov 2025 10:18:45 +0000 To understand Adolf Hitler, we need to look at his personal life and the wider societal and historical context - analysing his DNA for a TV gimmick tells us nothing, says Michael Le Page

Why aren't young people having sex any more? Thu, 13 Nov 2025 10:00:26 +0000 Sexual activity in young people is on the decline, but why? And what's more, should we be worried about what this means for society and the future of the human race?

Sperm are selfish – and so are we Wed, 12 Nov 2025 18:00:00 +0000 A new study hammers home how the "survival of the nicest" view makes no sense when it comes to evolution, says Jonathan R. Goodman

Surprising new biography of Francis Crick unravels the story of DNA Wed, 12 Nov 2025 18:00:00 +0000 Francis Crick's biography is full of surprises as author Matthew Cobb reveals the life and work of the co-discoverer of DNA's structure, finds Michael Le Page

Kim Kardashian has wrangled an invite to NASA HQ. Can we get one too? Wed, 12 Nov 2025 18:00:00 +0000 Reality TV star Kim Kardashian apparently thinks the 1969 moon landing was fake. If Feedback comes up with an equally outlandish conspiracy theory, maybe we can also get a guided tour of NASA

Fossil fuel emissions rise again – but China's are levelling off Thu, 13 Nov 2025 00:01:49 +0000 Global emissions from fossil fuels are expected to hit another record high in 2025, but China’s carbon emissions appear to be reaching a peak

Strongest evidence yet that the Epstein-Barr virus causes lupus Wed, 12 Nov 2025 19:00:02 +0000 Lupus has been linked to the Epstein-Barr virus – which causes glandular fever, or mono – before, but we now have evidence of how it can bring about the autoimmune condition

Sex could help wounds heal faster by reducing stress Wed, 12 Nov 2025 17:17:38 +0000 Mild wounds healed faster if people took a spray containing the "love hormone" oxytocin and set aside time to praise their partner – but they cleared up even quicker if these individuals were also intimate with their other half

Huge cloud of plasma belched out by star 130 light years away Wed, 12 Nov 2025 16:00:59 +0000 A coronal mass ejection from a distant star has been confirmed for the first time, raising questions about how such events could impact exoplanet habitability

IBM has unveiled two unprecedentedly complex quantum computers Wed, 12 Nov 2025 11:00:34 +0000 IBM revealed two new quantum computers, called Loon and Nighthawk – the qubits they use are connected in newly intricate ways and may enable a way to run error-free computations

Chemical computer can recognise patterns and perform multiple tasks Wed, 12 Nov 2025 14:00:27 +0000 Previous attempts at building a chemical computer have been too simple, too rigid or too hard to scale, but an approach based on a network of reactions can perform multiple tasks without having to be reconfigured

Women prefer to be prettier than a partner, but men want to be funnier Wed, 12 Nov 2025 12:00:32 +0000 When measuring yourself against your partner, which traits do you prefer to have compared with your significant other? A survey that forced people to choose has found that men and women have different preferences when it comes to being smarter, funnier or more attractive

Our bodies are ageing faster than ever. Can we hit the brakes? Mon, 03 Nov 2025 12:00:59 +0000 All over the world people are ageing more rapidly and succumbing to diseases that typically affected the elderly. But there are ways to turn back the clock on your biological age

Cradle of humanity is still revealing new insights about our origins Tue, 11 Nov 2025 18:00:24 +0000 The Omo-Turkana basin in Africa is home to a treasure trove of ancient human fossils and tools that span 300,000 years – today it is still yielding new discoveries about our species

At-home hypnosis relieves menopausal hot flushes Tue, 11 Nov 2025 17:25:39 +0000 Hot flushes could be relieved by listening to recordings that induce hypnosis from home, rather than having to venture to a clinic

Static electricity can remove frost from windows using little energy Tue, 11 Nov 2025 15:23:54 +0000 High-voltage copper plates can remove up to three-quarters of frost from a surface, while using much less energy than conventional heating

Odds of asteroid 2024 YR4 hitting the moon may rise to 30 per cent Tue, 11 Nov 2025 14:00:32 +0000 In February, the James Webb Space Telescope will briefly be able to observe asteroid 2024 YR4, which currently has a 4 per cent chance of hitting the moon in 2032. Depending on what it sees, the odds of collision could drastically increase

Falling asleep isn’t a gradual process – it happens all of a sudden Mon, 10 Nov 2025 15:00:48 +0000 Brain activity from more than 1000 people shows a rapid transition from being awake to being asleep, rather than a slow transition between the two states

The biggest controversy in maths could be settled by a computer Tue, 11 Nov 2025 12:00:12 +0000 For over a decade, mathematicians have failed to agree whether a 500-page proof is actually correct. Now, translating the proof into a computer-readable form may finally settle the matter

Caves carved by water on Mars may hold signs of past life Tue, 11 Nov 2025 08:00:45 +0000 Eight possible cave openings found on the Martian surface look to have once had ancient streams flowing into them, suggesting they are promising places to look for evidence of life

Ultrasound may boost survival after a stroke by clearing brain debris Mon, 10 Nov 2025 16:00:16 +0000 The damage of strokes caused by brain bleeds can be mitigated by removing dead blood cells. Scientists have now found a way of doing this non-invasively, with promising results in mice

Could electric race cars soon be faster than Formula 1? Mon, 10 Nov 2025 12:00:07 +0000 The electric cars of the Formula E racing championship can accelerate faster than Formula 1 cars and their top speeds are catching up – but battery capacity would let them down in a head-to-head

When rift lakes dry up it can cause earthquakes and eruptions Mon, 10 Nov 2025 10:00:41 +0000 Lake Turkana in Kenya, known as the cradle of humanity, has shrunk in recent millennia – and the loss of water has led to increased seismic activity, which could have impacted our ancient ancestors

AI power use forecast finds the industry far off track to net zero Mon, 10 Nov 2025 10:00:32 +0000 Several large tech firms that are active in AI have set goals to hit net zero by 2030, but a new forecast of the energy and water required to run large data centres shows they’re unlikely to meet those targets

Here's how to spot the Leonid meteor shower this month Wed, 05 Nov 2025 18:00:00 +0000 A new moon on 20 November means there is a great opportunity to enjoy the Leonid meteor shower this year, says Abigail Beall. Just make sure to get warm and comfy first

What we’re learning about consciousness from master meditators’ brains Wed, 05 Nov 2025 16:00:12 +0000 Neuroscientist Matthew Sacchet is revealing how mastering meditation can not only enable transcendental states of bliss, but also reshape how we experience pain and emotion

James Watson, co-discoverer of DNA’s double helix, has died aged 97 Fri, 07 Nov 2025 21:13:45 +0000 As one of the most influential scientists of the 20th century, James Watson pioneered the field of genetics and left behind a complicated legacy

How preppers plan to save us if the whole internet collapses Tue, 04 Nov 2025 16:00:14 +0000 Recent outages have revealed how vulnerable the internet is, but there seems to be no official plan in the event of a catastrophic failure. Meet the team of hackers who are ready to jump into action

Enceladus’s ocean may be even better for life than we realised Fri, 07 Nov 2025 19:00:48 +0000 The buried ocean on Saturn’s moon Enceladus seems to be stable across extremely long periods of time, making it an even more promising place to hunt for life

Having children plays a complicated role in the rate we age Fri, 07 Nov 2025 19:00:24 +0000 The effort of reproducing may divert energy away from repairing DNA or fighting illness, which could drive ageing, but a new study suggests that is only the case when environmental conditions are tough

A distant galaxy is being strangled by the cosmic web Fri, 07 Nov 2025 16:00:45 +0000 A dwarf galaxy 100 million light years away is being stripped of its crucial star-forming gas, and it seems that the cosmic web is siphoning off this gas as the galaxy passes through

We may never figure out where interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS came from Fri, 07 Nov 2025 15:00:27 +0000 The surface of comet 3I/ATLAS may have been so radically altered by cosmic rays that deducing its home star system would be impossible

The Trump administration is playing peekaboo with reality Wed, 05 Nov 2025 18:00:00 +0000 By cutting surveys of public health, the US government won't be able to properly tackle problems ranging from drug addiction to food insecurity

New Scientist recommends the cult film Hackers – 30 years late Wed, 05 Nov 2025 18:00:00 +0000 The books, TV, games and more that New Scientist staff have enjoyed this week

Digital map lets you explore the Roman Empire's vast road network Thu, 06 Nov 2025 16:00:09 +0000 Archaeologists have compiled the most detailed map yet of roads throughout the Roman Empire in AD 150, totalling almost 300,000 kilometres in length

A three-legged lion has learned to hunt in a completely unexpected way Thu, 06 Nov 2025 18:00:15 +0000 Jacob, an 11-year-old lion, has defied expectations by surviving for years after losing a leg – now we know his success is down to an innovative hunting strategy

New book tells compelling tale of the fight to save the Siberian tiger Wed, 05 Nov 2025 18:00:00 +0000 The battle to save the magnificent but endangered Amur tiger detailed in Jonathan Slaght's Tigers Between Empires is an inspiring look at what collaboration across borders can achieve, finds Adam Weymouth

Ancient DNA may rewrite the story of Iceland's earliest settlers Wed, 05 Nov 2025 12:00:34 +0000 Biochemical evidence suggests Norse people settled in Iceland almost 70 years before the accepted arrival date of the 870s, and didn't chop down the island's forests

Is a robot programmed to prank you annoying? Yes Wed, 05 Nov 2025 18:00:00 +0000 Feedback discovers a robot that can mimic Turkish ice cream vendors, who are known for playing tricks on their customers. Researchers concluded that customers, perhaps predictably, don't trust it

This book is a great insight into the new science of microchimerism Wed, 05 Nov 2025 18:00:00 +0000 Lise Barnéoud's Hidden Guests shows how this fascinating new field brings with it profound implications for medicine, and even what it means to be human, finds Helen Thomson

Human minds abhor uncertainty. This is a problem for liberal democracy Wed, 05 Nov 2025 18:00:00 +0000 Neurologically, the flexibility of the future promised by liberal democracy can be a challenge because it brings with it uncertainty. But there are solutions, say Florence Gaub and Liya Yu

Grafting trick could let us gene-edit a huge variety of plants Thu, 06 Nov 2025 09:00:22 +0000 Many plants including cocoa, coffee and avocado cannot be gene-edited but a technique involving grafting could change that, opening the door to more productive and nutritious varieties

Skeleton with brutal injuries identified as duke assassinated in 1272 Thu, 06 Nov 2025 08:00:36 +0000 The identity of a skeleton buried under a Budapest convent has been confirmed as Béla of Macsó, a Hungarian royal murdered in a 13th-century power struggle, and archaeologists have pieced together how the attack unfolded

Deep-space sci-fi novel is delightful, profound and not to be missed Wed, 05 Nov 2025 18:00:00 +0000 A planet is about to be destroyed by the collapse of a binary star system in Slow Gods, Claire North’s first venture into classic science fiction. Read it! says Emily H. Wilson

Is the expansion of the universe slowing down? Thu, 06 Nov 2025 02:38:21 +0000 It is widely accepted that the universe is expanding at an accelerating rate, but now researchers say our measurements of the mysterious force driving that may be wrong and that the universe began to slow 1.5 billion years ago – yet other scientists disagree

New quantum computer is on the path to unravelling superconductivity Wed, 05 Nov 2025 20:00:19 +0000 Using the Helios-1 quantum computer, researchers have used a record-breaking number of error-proof qubits to run the first and biggest quantum simulation of a model for perfect conductivity

Lumpy ‘caterpillar wormholes’ may connect entangled black holes Wed, 05 Nov 2025 17:00:18 +0000 A mathematical model suggests that when a pair of black holes gets quantum entangled, this can give rise to a lumpy space-time tunnel between them

Toxic algae blighting South Australia could pose a global threat Wed, 05 Nov 2025 14:00:05 +0000 Researchers warn that the alga Karenia cristata, which has killed around a million animals in Australian waters in one of the biggest algal blooms ever seen, could harm marine life elsewhere

Cavities could be prevented by a gel that restores tooth enamel Tue, 04 Nov 2025 10:00:10 +0000 Enamel does not naturally regenerate, which can lead to painful cavities, but a gel that harnesses some of the properties of saliva could restore the hard, shiny layer to teeth

COP30: What’s on the agenda at the Belém climate summit Wed, 05 Nov 2025 08:00:22 +0000 Initiatives on the table at COP30 aim to evaluate which countries are most vulnerable, support efforts to clean up industries and pay for the protection of tropical forests

Covid raises risk of heart issues in children more than vaccination Tue, 04 Nov 2025 23:30:20 +0000 Getting covid-19 for the first time slightly increased the risk of heart inflammation, blood clots and bleeding disorders among children, whereas being vaccinated against the virus was much safer and sometimes protective

The fascinating story of the ultimate cosmic law Tue, 04 Nov 2025 18:00:39 +0000 How do we know the speed of light – and why does it have a speed limit at all? Leah Crane explores the history of one of the most important numbers in the universe

We're closing in on how genetics may influence your PCOS risk Tue, 04 Nov 2025 17:00:44 +0000 In the largest genetic analysis of polycystic ovary syndrome to date, scientists have identified new variants linked to the condition, which could help us treat it more effectively

COP30: Can Brazil summit get climate negotiations back on track? Tue, 04 Nov 2025 14:00:40 +0000 Expectations are low for the UN climate conference in Belém, Brazil, but the host’s pragmatic approach could help make progress on implementation

Advanced quantum network could be a prototype for the quantum internet Tue, 04 Nov 2025 10:37:24 +0000 Building a working quantum internet would require overcoming a host of technical challenges, but researchers who have built one of the most advanced quantum networks to date say they think it is possible

Brightest black hole flare ever caused by huge star being ripped apart Tue, 04 Nov 2025 10:00:13 +0000 A distant black hole has been caught releasing the brightest flare ever, which is the result of it ripping apart and devouring an enormous star

Walking 3000 steps a day seems to slow Alzheimer's-related decline Mon, 03 Nov 2025 17:07:22 +0000 Alzheimer's-related cognitive decline could be slowed by taking as few as 3000 steps a day, possibly due to the effects of regular exercise on brain health

Antarctic glacier's alarming retreat is the fastest ever seen Mon, 03 Nov 2025 16:00:09 +0000 Hektoria glacier on the Antarctic Peninsula retreated 25 kilometres in just 15 months. Its rapid melt could have implications for other glaciers and the rate of sea level rise

Does the family tree of ancient humans need a drastic rewrite? Mon, 03 Nov 2025 16:00:00 +0000 Anthropologist Christopher Bae has recently suggested we add two new species of ancient human to our family tree. The plans break the conventions for how species should be named – but Bae argues the rules themselves are flawed

SpaceX's Starlink and other satellites face growing threat from sun Mon, 03 Nov 2025 13:00:35 +0000 There are now over 10,000 satellites in orbit, more than at any point in history, and this growing number is starting to reveal how solar storms could disrupt internet mega constellations like SpaceX's Starlink

We may have found a surprisingly nearby cluster of primordial stars Mon, 03 Nov 2025 10:00:16 +0000 The very first generation of stars, called Population III stars, are mostly expected to be too distant to see directly – but astronomers may have found some for the very first time

Orcas are ganging up on great white sharks to eat their livers Mon, 03 Nov 2025 05:00:20 +0000 For the first time, video footage has captured orcas in the Gulf of California hunting young great white sharks, using a trick to flip them over, paralise them and get at their energy-rich livers

How a surge in ancient plagues 5000 years ago shaped humanity Tue, 28 Oct 2025 16:00:31 +0000 Plague, leprosy, smallpox and other diseases didn't jump from animals to humans when we thought. Ancient DNA is revealing where they come from and how they changed history

'Most of it is good': Tim Berners-Lee on the state of the web now Wed, 29 Oct 2025 16:00:26 +0000 The man who invented the web is aware of the many issues it faces, from problematic social media use to the rise of unfettered AI. He also has a plan to remedy the situation

No space, no time, no particles: A radical vision of quantum reality Mon, 27 Oct 2025 16:00:41 +0000 If we admit that quantum numbers are the true essence of reality – not particles, space or time – then a surprising and beautiful new vision of reality opens up to us

Nature documentary shot on Super 8 film is ravishing and unpredictable Wed, 29 Oct 2025 18:00:00 +0000 In Ed Sayers's breathtaking documentary, a global community of film-makers capture the wildlife in their local areas. It's a bold departure from the glossy perspective of traditional nature documentaries, says Simon Ings

Quantum computers reveal that the wave function is a real thing Fri, 31 Oct 2025 17:00:37 +0000 The uncertainty inherent to quantum mechanics has long left physicists wondering whether the observations we make on the quantum level reflect reality - a new test suggests they do

The gut microbiome may play a role in shaping our personality Fri, 31 Oct 2025 12:00:40 +0000 Rats given a faecal transplant from exuberant toddlers showed more exploratory behaviour, supporting the idea that gut bacteria might affect children’s emotional development

Denisovans may have interbred with mysterious group of ancient humans Fri, 31 Oct 2025 15:13:43 +0000 We now have only the second high-quality genome from an ancient Denisovan human, which reveals there were more populations of this species than we thought

Bulletproof fabric laced with carbon nanotubes is stronger than Kevlar Fri, 31 Oct 2025 15:00:07 +0000 A sheet of fabric that is three times stronger than Kevlar could stop a bullet despite being just 1.8 millimetres thick, thanks to the addition of carbon nanotubes that keep its molecules aligned

Your flight emissions are way higher than carbon calculators suggest Fri, 31 Oct 2025 12:32:55 +0000 Existing tools that work out the carbon footprint of flights greatly underestimate their warming impact, say the makers of a new calculator

The best new science fiction books of November 2025 Fri, 31 Oct 2025 12:00:38 +0000 From Claire North’s new novel Slow Gods to a 10th anniversary edition of a brilliant Adrian Tchaikovsky book, there’s lots to watch out for in November’s science fiction

Magnetic gel could remove kidney stones more effectively Thu, 30 Oct 2025 18:00:44 +0000 Standard techniques for removing kidney stones often require repeated surgery, but a magnetic gel seems to make the process more efficient

Our verdict on Our Brains, Our Selves: A mix of praise and misgivings Fri, 31 Oct 2025 09:40:29 +0000 The New Scientist Book Club has various issues with Masud Husain's prize-winning popular science book about neurology

Book Club: Read an extract from Every Version of You by Grace Chan Fri, 31 Oct 2025 09:30:59 +0000 In this passage from the opening of Grace Chan’s sci-fi novel, the November read for the New Scientist Book Club, we are introduced to her protagonists as they spend time in a virtual utopia which is becoming increasingly tempting in a dying world

If you could upload your mind to a virtual utopia, would you? Fri, 31 Oct 2025 09:30:31 +0000 Grace Chan, author of Every Version of You, the November read for the New Scientist Book Club, explores the philosophical implications of the choices her characters make

New Scientist recommends Never Let Me Go Wed, 29 Oct 2025 18:00:00 +0000 The books, TV, games and more that New Scientist staff have enjoyed this week

Owning our own data is the only way to stop enshittifcation Wed, 29 Oct 2025 18:00:00 +0000 The internet is not what it once was, with so many apps and websites mere shadows of themselves. Thankfully, the inventor of the web Tim Berners-Lee, has a fix that we should adopt

Cats revealed in all their glory in stunning new photographs Wed, 29 Oct 2025 18:00:45 +0000 Photographer Tim Flach's new book Feline explores the mysterious and irresistible world of cats, from the domesticated to the wild, and why we love them

Has life today been enshittified? Cory Doctorow's new book explores Wed, 29 Oct 2025 18:00:00 +0000 Enshittification is a term coined by Cory Doctorow in 2022. In his new book, Doctorow lays out how tech companies have made our lives progressively worse, finds Matthew Sparkes

Boy's body was mummified and turned green by a copper coffin Fri, 31 Oct 2025 06:00:14 +0000 The green mummified remains of a teenager buried in Italy 200 to 400 years ago have given us new insights into the preservative properties of copper

Sorry, but interstellar visitor 3I/ATLAS really is a comet, not aliens Thu, 30 Oct 2025 19:00:19 +0000 Interstellar objects like 3I/ATLAS are exciting, but there is no reason to claim that they are evidence of alien spacecraft – sometimes a comet is just comet, says Robin George Andrews

The US is unlikely to test nuclear weapons, despite what Trump says Thu, 30 Oct 2025 16:10:12 +0000 President Donald Trump appears to have ordered a return to nuclear testing after decades of uneasy but effective treaties banning the practice – but will it actually happen?

Dinosaur skeleton settles long debate over 'tiny T. rex' fossils Thu, 30 Oct 2025 16:00:54 +0000 Palaeontologists have argued for decades over whether certain fossils are young Tyrannosaurus rex or another species entirely – now they have strong evidence that the diminutive Nanotyrannus really existed

The end of US support for the CMB-S4 telescope is devastating Wed, 29 Oct 2025 18:00:00 +0000 The US government's decision to stop supporting a telescope facility that would have given us unprecedented insight into the early universe is calamitous, says Chanda Prescod-Weinstein

Minecraft fan may be most committed hobbyist out there Wed, 29 Oct 2025 18:00:00 +0000 Feedback comes across a YouTuber's efforts to build a large language model in Minecraft and is impressed at the scale of it – even if it doesn't quite live up to its promise to blow your mind "in spectacular fashion"

Germanium superconductor could help build reliable quantum computers Thu, 30 Oct 2025 10:00:01 +0000 A new type of germanium superconductor could allow classical and quantum chips to be built into one device, creating better and more reliable quantum computers.